Skirt hanger and stretcher.



W. J. TETREAULT.

SKIRT HANGER AND STRETGHER.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 24. 1909.

942,525, I Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

fr. E; l.

TlNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. TETREAULT, OF MOOSUP, CONNECTICUT.

SKIRT HANGER AND STRETCHER.

Application filed June 24, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. TETREAULT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moosup, in the county of Vindham and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skirt Hangers and Stretchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is a device for hanging and stretching ladies skirts.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and practical device of this character which may be readily placed within a skirt to stretch the same and keep it in proper shape free from wrinkles and by means of which the skirt may be conveniently suspended in a closet or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be adjusted to permit it to be used in different sized skirts.

WVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the improved skirt hanger and stretcher, the waist band clamp being shown raised and open in full lines and in closed position in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the top of the device showing the waist band clamp in closed position; and Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken, respectively, on the planes indicated by the lines 3-3 and 44 in Fig. 1.

Myimprovedskirthangerandstretchercomprises a top piece or member 1 to which are pivotally connected two side members 2, the diverging lower ends of which are connected by an extensible bottom member 3. The top member is preferably formed from a channeled metal strip of U-shape in cross section, as shown in Fig. 3, and each of the side members 2, which latter are preferably longitudinally extensible, are made from flat strips or sections 4, 5, the opposing ends of which overlap and are slidably engaged with each other. Said opposing ends of the two sections 4, 5 of each member 2 have secured upon them bands 6, which slidably receive the op osing section and which contain set screws? by means of which said sections may be clamped against movement with respect Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. *7, 1909.

Serial No. 504,170.

to each other in adjusted position. The upper ends of the sections 4 are pivoted at 8 in the channeled upper piece or member 1 and the lower ends of the sections 5 are similarly pivoted, as at 9, to the outer ends of two strips or sections 10, 11 which form the bottom or lower member 3. The sections 10, 11 have on their inner ends surrounding bands 12 containing set screws 13 by means of which said sections may be secured in adjusted position.

14, 14 denote two springs arranged between the upper member and the two side members for actuating the latter outwardly or away from each other to stretch the skirt which surrounds them and thereby hold the skirt in proper form or shape and free from creases. Each of the springs 14 is preferably formed from a piece of wire bent to form a coil 15 and having its upper end se cured at 16 in the channeled upper member 1 and its lower end secured at 17 to one of the sections 4, said springs being arranged diagonally so as to cross each other, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

For the purpose of more effectively retaining the skirt upon the frame, a waist band engaging clamp is provided upon the top piece or member 1. This clamp consists of two resilient clamping strips 18 arranged on opposite sides of the channeled member 1 and adapted to clamp the waist hand against the same. Said clamp strips or springs 18 are pivoted by means of a transverse rivet or similar pivot 19 to an extended end 20 of the member 1, said pivot 19 being arranged adjacent to the inner ends of the strips 18, which latter have said inner ends united by a loop 21 around the side bars of which the extremities of said strips 18 are bent, as shown at 22. The free end of one of the strips 18 is similarly bent, as at 23, around a similar loop 24 which serves as a keeper and is adapted to be swung over the free end 25 of the other strip 18, as shown in Fig. 2.

For the purpose of suspending the frame or form a hook 26 is provided. The stem or shank of the latter extends through a slot in the upper edge of the upper member 1 and is bent around a rivet or similar fastening 27 arranged in the, central portion of said member 1, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

In using the invention, the skirt to be hung and stretched is placed over the frame parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, the waist band is then placed around the upper member 1 and the clamping strips or springs 18 are swung downwardly from their full line position to their dotted line position so as to hold the Waist band against the opposite sides of the member 1, the free ends of said strips 18 being then united by means of the keeper loop 24. The set screws 13 are then loosened so that the springs 14 will move the side members 2 outwardly to stretch the skirt. Said set screws may be then tightened to retain the frame in adjusted position. It will be seen that by loosening the set screws 7 the side members may be varied in length according to the skirt used upon it.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a channeled connecting member having its open edge downturned, side members pivoted in the channel of said connecting member, a waist band clamp to co-act With said connecting member, a suspending means upon said connecting member, coil springs each having one end connected to said connecting member, and its other end connected to one of the side members, and a longitudinally extensible means connecting the side members.

2. A device of the character described comprising an upper connecting member, side members pivoted to said connecting member, means for holding said side members in spaced relation, a waist band clamp having spring members pivoted on opposite sides of the connecting member on one end of the same, and means for uniting the free ends of said spring clamp members to cause the latter to retain the waist band against opposite sides of said connecting member.

3. A device of the character described comprising an upper member, a suspending hook thereon, side members pivoted to the upper member, an extensible connecting member between said side members, springs for actuating said side members away from each other, a waist band clamp consisting of resilient clamping strips pivoted on opposite sides of the upper member, and means uniting the free ends of said clamping strips.

41. A. device of the character described comprising an extensible frame having an upper member, waist band clamping means consisting of resilient strips pivoted on opposite sides of said upper member at one end, a loop uniting the pivoted ends of said strips and a keeper loop carried by the free end of one strip and adapted to receive the free end of the other strip.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WM. J. TETREAULT.

WVitnesses:

HENRY ST. SoUvEUn, BRADFORD W. DANIELSON. 

